Father of Memorial Middle School shooter to change plea

Gregory White, the father of the Memorial Middle School student who fired a shot in the school Oct. 9, will plead guilty to a federal weapons charge Monday before U. S. District Court Judge James England in Springfield.
Court records indicate White had initially been scheduled to plead guilty Thursday, but the hearing was postponed.

After White's son was arrested, an affidavit filed with the court said, the boy was taken to the county's juvenile detention facility. "Gregory White, the father of the juvenile shooter, was together with his son at the juvenile facility, was upset, and was overheard yelling at his son. Gregory White was overheard to question his son about his 'keys.'
"A Joplin police officer asked White why he was concerned about keys. White replied that he was concerned about keys to his gun cabinet which were missing. White went on to explain that his gun cabinet was in his room and that his son must have taken the keys to it. During the interview of the juvenile shooter, he was accompanied by his father. The juvenile stated the firearm he used in the shooting belonged to his father, who did not then deny ownership of the weapon. When officers responded to the White residence, a consent search was granted by Norma Leslie White (mother of the juvenile and wife of Gregory), Norma White stated the firearms inside the residence belonged to her husband.
"She continued to state the key to the gun safe was on a key ring hanging in the master bedroom. Seven additional firearms and ammunition were discovered inside a locked safe in the master bedroom of the residence. A large bag of ammunition was also discovered on the upper level of the shed located in the rear yard of the residence."

According to the affidavit, the guns were two Norinco Mak 90s Sporter rifles, a Daisy .22 caliber rifle Model 2201, a Mossberg shotgun Model 500AG, a Companhia shotgun Model 151, an Armscor rifle Model 16, and an Intratec pistol Model Tec 22. All of the guns came into Missouri from out of state, the affidavit said.

An investigation showed White had been convicted of two felonies: burglary on Sept. 19, 1980, in Orange County, Fla., and possession of a controlled substance (methamphetamine) Dec. 2, 1988, in San Bernardino County, Calif.

Felons cannot legally own firearms.